HEALTH

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency

John Hutton: We are publishing today the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency's annual business plan. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The business plan highlights the agency's achievements in 2003–04 and sets out the key tasks and targets for the coming year.
	This comprehensive plan has been formulated within the context of the agency's ongoing remit to lead the modernisation of the NHS purchasing and supply function. The agency has a strategic role to set out a major development agenda for purchasing and supply in the NHS and working with the commercial directorate has developed a co-ordinated implementation plan for doing so. The business plan sets out clearly how the agency will achieve these aims.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Rosie Winterton: The 2004–05 business plan for the Medicines And Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has today been presented to Parliament. The plan contains the agency's key targets for the year.
	Copies of the plan have been placed in the Library.

NHS Foundation Trusts

John Reid: The Chairman of the Independent Regulator of NHS foundation trusts has today announced that, in accordance with section 6 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, the Independent Regulator has authorised the following NHS trusts as NHS foundation trusts from 1 April 2004:
	Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust
	Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust
	Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust
	Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust
	Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust
	Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust
	Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust
	The Royal Marsden NHS Trust
	Stockport NHS Trust
	Decisions on the remaining 15 applications that I have approved will be made at a later date.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration Rules

Beverley Hughes: Today I am making changes to the immigration rules that enable participants on the sectors based scheme (SBS) to extend their leave in the UK to those people whose original permit was for less than the maximum period of 12 months. Permits can be issued for a maximum of 12 months, but in many cases they are shorter. One of the key aspects of the SBS is that participants who have been granted leave for less than one year, and whom the employer wants to retain, can extend their leave, in country, for the remainder of the 12 months that the initial leave did not cover. As hon. Members already know, from 1 April there will also be a new charge of £121 for those who wish to extend their leave under the sectors based scheme. This charge may be picked up by the employer.
	This procedure has been operating administratively since the launch of the scheme, and the changes to the immigration rules will simply put extensions of stay on SBS on a firmer footing within the rules.

Prisoner Suicide Prevention Strategy

Paul Goggins: The Home Secretary and I are determined to reduce the incidence of suicide within prisons. These tragic deaths devastate families and deeply distress both prisoners and staff. We are also committed to tackling the related but separate issues that arise from self-harm.
	The ministerial roundtable on suicides, which I chair, includes representatives from the Prison Reform Trust, the Howard League for Penal Reform, Samaritans and Inquest; from HM Inspectorate of Prisons, the Independent Monitoring Boards and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman; from the Prison Service, the National Probation Service and the Department of Health; and from prisoners themselves. The roundtable brings together a wide range of expertise that has helped to influence and support the current suicide prevention strategy launched in 2001. More recently, it has helped with the development of a strategy for the longer term and I am grateful for its important contributions.
	I pay tribute to the relentless efforts of staff to save lives. Last year staff resuscitated over 211 prisoners who had made serious attempts at self-harm. In 87 of 138 prisons there were no self-inflicted deaths in 2003–04. The suicide rate (per 100,000 of average prisoner population) is 9 per cent lower than it was in 1999–2000, and the three-year rolling rate has stabilised at about 128 per 100,000.
	Sadly, there are large numbers of people in prison with characteristics that contribute to a risk of suicide. These include problems with mental health, drugs and drink, troubled relationships and social exclusion, as well as a previous history of self-harm and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Identifying and caring for these prisoners is very challenging work, not least as they represent over half the prison population. It is important to note, however, that prisoners have similar rates of suicide to offenders in the community.
	Central to the suicide prevention strategy that I am announcing today is the need to reduce the level of distress in prison and promote the well being of all staff and prisoners. This applies both to public and privately contracted prisons. We intend to build on current good practice and continue with the commitment of the Prison Service to treat prisoners with decency and dignity. This approach has strong support from Roundtable members and from other external organisations.
	This approach forms part of the Government's national strategy for reducing suicides in the community, and is being developed in partnership with the Department of Health, which is increasingly responsible for improving health care standards in prisons. This includes the provision of mental health services as well as substance abuse interventions and maintenance programmes.
	The approach is evidence based. The final evaluation of the safer local prisons programme is due in the summer. Emerging findings from the research undertaken by Dr. Alison Liebling of the Cambridge Institute of Criminology indicate that levels of distress in a prison correlate closely with suicide rates. The revised strategy will therefore concentrate on measures likely to reduce distress and promote the well-being of prisoners and staff. We will build on our existing programme which includes work on resettlement, drugs detoxification and continuing care and support, staff care and welfare, healthcare, purposeful activity, staff and managementoutlook, leadership and training.
	Alongside our plans to improve the quality of prison life for both prisoners and staff, we will also target additional support for the most vulnerable. Research findings underline the importance and effectiveness of a number of specific measures. These include the appointment of suicide prevention co-ordinators in prisons; the development of in-reach mental health provision and day care centres; good case reviews; and appropriate first night centre and induction procedures.
	Our strategy will include specific interventions to identify those most at risk. In January five establishments began to pilot a new assessment procedure that will be reviewed later in 2004. We will continue to put in place safer cells and other changes to the physical environment in order to minimise impulsive acts of self-harm and suicide.
	This developing strategy will link existing programmes and planned investment in five broad areas of work across the Prison Service and Department of Health. These are:
	Regime, activities and care planning for all prisoners;
	Improved knowledge and outlooks of all staff at all levels;
	Meeting the special needs of the most vulnerable prisoners;
	Training and support for staff;
	Design solutions to minimise impulsive acts.
	The integration with the health agenda is crucial. Mental health in-reach to selected prisons and new triage-based, reception health screening arrangements have been linked to the suicide prevention strategy. Between now and March 2006 NHS mental health in-reach investment is expected to double to £20 million with in-reach services available in every prison. All local prisons are implementing the new screening system during 2004.
	I attach great importance to the contribution that can be made to preventing suicides by learning from what has gone wrong in the past. From 1 April the Government have decided to transfer responsibility for investigating deaths in jails, probation hostels and Immigration and Nationality Directorate detention centres to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. Learning from deaths, and consistently applying those lessons, will be an important strand of the developed strategy.
	The strategy that I have outlined above will continue to develop and expand. The National Offender Management Service, which becomes operative in June, will provide a focus on offender management and a wider organisational framework that will boost the work in prisons and facilitate its eventual expansion into offender management in the community.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Independent Commissioner forDetained Terrorist Suspects

Jane Kennedy: I have today arranged for copies of Dr. Bill Norris's annual report for 2003 to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	I welcome Dr Norris's report and I will consider it carefully. I will respond as soon as possible.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Iraq Survey Group

Jack Straw: Charles Duelfer, the special adviser to the Director of Central Intelligence for Strategy regarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs, presented a further report to US Congressional Oversight Committees on 30 March 2004. As with the previous report presented on 2 October 2003, this is a status report on work in progress. I have arranged for a copy of the unclassified text to be placed in the Library of the House.

Great Chagos Bank

Bill Rammell: The Great Chagos Bank, which lies within the waters adjacent to the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), is an exceptional example of a submerged coral atoll, providing a valuable contribution to the marine ecology of the Indian Ocean. On 17 September 2003, in order to help to conserve the natural resources of the bank, the Commissioner for BIOT proclaimed an area including the Great Chagos Bank to be an Environmental (Preservation and protection) Zone. A copy of the proclamation, together with the relevant chart and co-ordinates, has been deposited with the UN under Article 75 of UNCLOS, and will be published in the Law of the Sea Bulletin No. 54.

Guantanamo Bay Detainees

Jack Straw: A team of FCO officials, RAF personnel, British police officers and independent observers visited Guantanamo Bay between 8 and 9 March 2004.
	The purpose of the visit was to return five British detainees to the UK; and to check on the welfare of the four British detainees who remain there and to explain their position to them. The camp authorities were co-operative and helpful during the visit.
	An FCO official, accompanied by a police officer, informed the five British detainees on 8 March that they would be returned to the UK. Their return took place the following day, 9 March.
	An FCO official also met the other four British detainees individually. A US official observed the meetings. The FCO official delivered mail for the detainees personally and brought messages back to their families. Detainees are able to send and receive mail through the camp authorities and the ICRC. Delivery remains irregular. We are considering with the US Government ways for them to improve the mail arrangements.
	The FCO official asked all the British detainees about their health, diet, accommodation, opportunities for exercise and other camp facilities.
	The British detainees appeared to be in satisfactory physical health but are increasingly frustrated by their continued detention. Individual welfare issues are being pursued by British officials with the US Government.
	The FCO official informed the four British detainees that:
	following discussions between the British and US Governments, five other British detainees were to be returned to the UK;
	discussions between the two Governments on their own future continued.
	The FCO official also informed Mr Abbasi and Mr Begg, both of whom have been designated by the US authorities as eligible for trial by Military Commission, that:
	if they were to be tried, the British Government has told the US Government that the trial should be fair;
	the two Governments continued to explore this and other possible courses of action.
	The legal proceedings against Mr Abbasi and Mr Begg were suspended in July 2003 pending discussions between the British and US. The British Government's position remains that the British detainees should either be tried in accordance with international standards or they should be returned to the UK. The British Government continues to work to resolve their position.

DEFENCE

International Security Assistance Force

Adam Ingram: Since the inception of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in December 2001, the United Kingdom has been a key contributor: we have maintained a continuous presence in Kabul where our troops have once again established a high reputation. That useful work has been complemented by our provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in Mazar-e Sharif, currently operating under the command of the coalition across the five provinces of Balkh, Faryab, Jowzjan, Samangan and Sar-e Pol. No-one should doubt the United Kingdom's commitment to Afghanistan.
	The United Nations Security Council resolution 1510 authorized ISAF to expand beyond Kabul and offered the opportunity to start to bring the ISAF and the PRTs together. Since December 2003, NATO has operated its own PRT in the north-eastern city of Konduz as part of ISAF. Building on that experience, and that of coalition PRTs, NATO's detailed operational planning to expand the ISAF across Afghanistan is nearing completion. In view of the parliamentary recess I believe the House would wish to be informed of developments that are likely to occur shortly.
	Within this planning, and in conjunction with our international partners, we have offered to NATO to lead the expansion process in the north of the country, where we already have a significant presence through our own PRT. As part of our expanded commitment, and once NATO has agreed its operational plan we shall lead a second multinational PRT that we intend to establish in the Northern city of Meymaneh. Again, in co-operation with our international partners, we shall establish and maintain facilities to support PRTs across the North of Afghanistan. Finally, we plan to transfer command of the PRT in Mazar-e Sharif from the coalition to the ISAF.
	This will require some increase in the number of British troops routinely deployed in Afghanistan, although until negotiations with our international partners are complete I am not in a position to indicate what the precise total will be, but I will keep the House informed as this develops. I can confirm, however, that this commitment, which will utilise forces allocated to but not deployed forward in Afghanistan and some other enabling elements in the initial stages, is sustainable.
	The expansion of the ISAF will be a major challenge. The United Kingdom, in line with our determination to help the Afghan people rebuild their country, is resolved to play its full part in meeting that challenge. By leading expansion in the north we shall do so in a sustainable and effective manner to the long-term benefit of Afghanistan and her people.

Chemical Protection Programme

Adam Ingram: The UK's chemical protection programme is designed to protect against the use of chemical weapons. Such a programme is permitted by the chemical weapons convention, with which the United Kingdom is fully compliant. Under the terms of the convention, we are required to provide information annually to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In accordance with the Government's commitment to openness, I am placing in the House of Commons Library a copy of the summary that has been provided to the organisation outlining the UK's chemical protection programme for 2004.

NATO Response Forces

Adam Ingram: From mid-July 2004, the United Kingdom's routine Destroyer or Frigate (DD/FF) contribution to the standing element of the NATO Response Force (NRF) will be a single ship. This replaces our previous commitment of two—one to Standing Force Atlantic and one to the Standing Force Mediterranean. We have also given greater priority to enduring additional commitments in the Arabian Gulf.
	When, from July 2004 until June 2005, the UK fulfils the role of High Readiness Force Commander (Maritime), we will provide a broad range of maritime capability to the NRF. When this duty passes to another nation, UK will revert to our routine commitment of 1 DD/FF.

TREASURY

"Review of Statistics for Economic Policy Making"

Gordon Brown: Christopher Allsopp's final report "The Review of Statistics for Economic Policy Making" is published today. Copies are available in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.